Briggs was calling the defense during spring drills as well, but the intensity naturally ramps up when training camp begins. He admitted to a few mistakes Friday but put the situation in pretty good perspective, I thought.

"I was real comfortable in my role before," Briggs said. "Very comfortable. Now I'm getting comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Typically teams prefer the middle linebacker to call defenses because of his pre-snap position and central proximity to teammates. But the Bears' uncertain lineup beyond Briggs makes him the best candidate for the job. At the very least, they know he'll be on the field. Williams and outside linebacker James Anderson must both fight off rookie challengers for their jobs.

"The biggest adjustment," Briggs said, "is making sure that it's my job to get everybody aligned and ready to play."